Italian Man Becomes Nigeria’s First Case Of Coronavirus

Nigeria on Friday confirmed its first case of coronavirus in Lagos state.

“The case which was confirmed on 27/02/2020 is the first case to be reported in Nigeria since the beginning of the outbreak in China in January 2020,” Health Minister Osagie Ehanire said on Twitter.

The Federal Ministry of Health has confirmed a coronavirus(Covid-19) case in Lagos State Nigeria. The case which was confirmed on 27/02/2020 is the first case to be reported in Nigeria since the beginning of the outbreak in China in January 2020 @WHO @BBCWorld #CoronaVirusUpdates pic.twitter.com/uF79NYzvAz

— Federal Ministry of Health, NIGERIA (@Fmohnigeria) February 27, 2020

The case is an Italian man working in Nigeria. He is said to have returned from Milan on February 25.

The patient, the minister said, is clinically stable with no serious symptoms. He is currently being managed at the Infectious Disease Hospital in Yaba, Lagos.

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Before the Nigerian case, just two cases had been reported across Africa; in Egypt and Algeria.

World Health Organization (WHO) warned that Africa’s “fragile health systems” meant the threat posed by the virus “is considerable”.

WHO’s regional director for Africa, Dr Matshidiso Moeti, also warned that the “window of opportunity the continent has had to prepare for coronavirus disease is closing.”

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Further, WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus on Thursday noted that the epidemic could get out of control if swift action is not taken.

“It’s what’s happening in the rest of the world that’s now our greatest concern,” he said.

So far, at least 44 new coronavirus deaths were announced in China bringing to 2,788 the number of fatalities nationwide.

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